Rescue You
by InspiredInTheDark
Summary: Phil finds Helga on his stoop one morning, She's been beaten by her father, can Arnold help her heal and return to normal? Rated M for abuse. Formerly known as Face Down. Inspired by Facade by Disturbed and Face Down by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
1. Shattered though desperate

She wandered down the street, completely soaked by the rain. Her pink nightgown torn and bloody, legs aching. Her face was swollen and she couldn't see out of one eye. She limped, the pain overwhelming her entire body. She didn't know where she was headed; she only knew that she didn't want to go home. She didn't want to go back there.

Without warning her legs collapsed hard onto a cemented stoop. More wounds to add to the one upon her thin body. She still didn't cry. The pain began to numb as did the rest of her body in the rain. She didn't care if she was going to die. In fact, she welcomed it. Realizing that she was suddenly tired, she laid her blond head down onto the steps and blacked out.

Her dreams weren't pleasant, they never were. Filled with his angry eyes and huge fists, pounding, grinding, and slamming into her. The pain radiated through her body once more. Each remembered blow reminding her of where it landed, building up to an almost unbearable pain. Pain that encased her tiny frame so much that it forced her in and out of consciousness.

She wondered how long until morning when she felt something cold on her face. Suddenly she realized that she was warm and on something soft rather than the cold hard cement that she collapsed onto. Someone was humming a lullaby. She struggled to open her eyes, remembering the reason why she couldn't move in the first place she let it be. She laid there and listened to the lullaby, so soothing, so full of love.

"My my Eleanor, what happened to you?" the lullaby stopped and an elderly woman spoke so softly, touching the swollen bruise that covered most of her face with the cold water. She realized who it was that instant, The girl sprang up and fell over the back of the couch and curled up in a ball next to the fireplace. The elderly lady looked at her stunned and walked over to her,

"It's okay Eleanor…"

"Grandma? What's wrong? Is Helga alright?" Arnold asked concerned looking into the room to see what was the cause of the noise.

"Kimba, go fetch lady Eleanor some clean clothes and get a bath ready."

Arnold retreated out of the room, As Helga stared at Grandma with a wide eye. Grandma grabbed the bowl of cool water from the coffee table and brought it to Helga.

"What happened to you?" Grandma repeated, placing the wet dish rag in the water and placing it to the side of Helga's neck. She tried to speak, but couldn't form the words. She realized her throat hurt. Probably from when he choked her. She let out a pitiful moan, and tears formed in her good eye. Grandma looked at her and took Helga in her arms gently.

"It's okay, your safe Eleanor" Grandma said stroking the girls head. "No one is going to hurt you again."

Arnold walked in and stood by his grandmother and classmate. "Grandma, the bath is ready. Helga? Can you stand?"

Grandma let go of Helga and helped her up. She didn't realize how much pain she was in until now. She stumbled and started to fall when Arnold caught her.

"Would you like me to carry you?" Arnold asked. Helga nodded and Arnold picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the bathroom. She was light, too light. He could feel her ribs stick out underneath his finger tips. He felt angry, he knew who did this to her. He placed her down gently at the bathroom door and looked at her. Her throat was purple and black, Her face was officially broken. One eye swollen so bad, that Arnold feared it might not look the same again. One of her lips was cut and about three times the size it normally was. Her thin arms and legs were littered with bruises and cuts. Arnold wanted to cry looking at her. What could she of done to deserve this? He couldn't think of anything. Sure she was considered the bully, and she picked on him constantly, but he knew the reason why she did it. He knew her home life. He knew she had a crush on him, and didn't want people to know it. Even if she was a mean, down right nasty person at times, she didn't deserve to be in this state.

Arnold hugged her gently, She let out a painful moan, but embraced him back. She let go and looked at him with her one good eye. Arnold smirked seeing the thankfulness reflected in the sapphire blue.

"Um… I found some clean clothes for you to wear, and Grandma is making some chicken stew. I hope your hungry. If you want we can eat in my room," Arnold said nervously. Helga grabbed his hand, nodded and walked into the bathroom. Arnold let out a sigh and went to help his grandma make the stew.

The water felt magnificent against her flesh. Helga washed the blood from her body, the water turning a faint hint of orange, then slightly red. She washed her hair with the same sweet smelling shampoo that she assumed Arnold uses. The water turned even more red, and she wondered how bad did she look? Granted she only had one eye that was able to see at the moment, and she could barely walk without an immense amount of pain. From her good eye she saw her nightgown. What was once a pretty light pink, was now a dark red and brown from the dirt and dried blood. She shuttered suddenly remembering last night.

Miriam and Bob came back from a parent teacher conference. They must've talked to the principal who blamed them for her over aggressiveness and demanded they take proper action for disciplining her before she ended up in prison before she was 18. Big Bob came home and immediately grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall.

"Do you think it's funny to make us look like bad parent's, Haven't we given you everything?!" bob whispered harshly at his daughter, who was gasping for breath. "HAVEN'T WE?!" He dropped Helga and started kicking her in the ribs, grabbing her by the hair he stood her up and punched her in the face several times until she fell against the wall. Trying to escape, Helga started to crawl towards the door.

"Oh no… where do you think you're going little missy…" Bob grabbed his daughter by the leg and grabbed his belt from his pant loops. He struck Helga in the back and on her legs, Giant welts formed and busted, Blood trickled down her back and legs. Helga tried to scream, but her throat stung. Finally Bob stopped and stood up, Standing over the broken body of his youngest daughter, he spit.

"Now, get out of here. I don't want to see your face right now." He said emotionless. Helga managed to get up and walked out the door. Not caring as to where she ended up.

"Helga?" There was a knock on the door. "I wanted to tell you that the stew is ready, It's already up in my room, I'll wait here by the door until you come out." Arnold said.

Helga got up slowly out of the bath. She felt a little better after she was dried off and in a pair of jeans that looked to small for Arnold to wear, and one of his green sweaters. They smelled like him, she tried to smile. She opened the door and was greet by Arnold.

"Hey… want a lift to my room?" He said offering his arms. Helga nodded knowing she would have the hardest time climbing those stairs. Arnold picked her up and brought her to his room. She couldn't help but think of dirty things thirteen year olds shouldn't be thinking about on the way up there. It kept her mind off the pain though.

Arnold placed her down gently on his bed. He walked over to his desk and grabbed the two bowls of stew and handed one to Helga. She looked at the soup and tried to smile at him. She picked up the spoon and took a huge bite. The stew made her throat burn, but at the same time feel so much better. She ate her whole bowl faster than Arnold could get through half of his. He watched her astonished and offered her the rest of his. Flashbacks brought him back to preschool when Harold took her crackers and he gave her his. He smiled at that thought.

After Helga was finished eating, Arnold went back to the bathroom and got her two Tylenol for her pain. He grabbed her a glass of water as well and headed back to the room.

"Here… these will help with the pain." He said handing them to her. She took them without a second thought. She embraced him again. Arnold enclosed his arms gently around her bruised body. She started to cry. Arnold got closer to her, stroking her wet hair.

"It's okay, Helga… your safe with me. I won't let him hurt you anymore." He promised.


	2. No one knows just what has become of her

He should've known what was going on, Over the past few months, Helga stopped showing up to school for days at a time. When she did, she always wore long sleeves, even if it was hotter than hell outside. She wore a lot of make-up, mostly foundation, and she was getting thinner. He asked Phoebe what was going on, but she just shook her head and told him she didn't know. He saw the concern growing in her eyes. Helga started acting out in class, and got suspended recently. Phoebe tried to call her but the phone was out at her house.

"Maybe she's a cutter… I heard a lot of emo's are like that." Rhonda said one day at lunch, "They make their life out to be one big melodrama."

Phoebe shot her a look. Rhonda shut up the second she did so, got up and exited the cafeteria.

"Maybe she has an eating disorder." Harold piped up from the table next to Phoebe, Gerald, Arnold. "Lots of girls get eating disorders, and they wear make-up to hide the fact that they look sick."

Phoebe looked at Harold like he might be onto something. Helga could have an eating disorder….

"Arnold?" a soft voice croaked. Arnold came out of his thoughts and looked at the girl who was now laying with her head on his lap.

"Yeah Helga?" He rubbed her head gently.

It took a few minutes for her to form the sentence, It hurt her so much to talk.

"Please…. Don't make me go back there…." She whispered. She sat up carefully and looked at Arnold. He looked at her solemnly. He took her bruised hand into his and smiled.

"I promise. You can stay with me, I'll keep you safe." Helga smiled, A knock came upon the door and Helga jumped. Grandpa poked his head in.

"Hey Shortman, how is your little friend doing?" He grabbed a chair and walked towards the bed where Helga and Arnold sat. He looked closer at Helga, surveying the damage.

"We should take you to the hospital there girly, That eye isn't looking too well. I think your cheekbone might be broken." He touched her face, she winced. She shook her head. She didn't want to go to the hospital, they would call Bob, they would make him more pissed off, and then she would get it.

"No" she croaked out, she hid behind Arnold who grabbed her hand. She looked at him, terrified.

"Listen, We need to take you to the hospital. If we tell them what happened, or what we suspect happened then he can't hurt you anymore." Arnold said quietly.

Helga sighed frustrated, her throat burned. She grabbed a notebook and pen that Arnold had on the bed and wrote. She shoved the notebook into his hand.

"I don't want to go to the hospital because they might take me away from you, They'll take me away from Phoebe. I'm not going." He read aloud. Helga nodded.

An hour later she was sitting in the back of the Packard with Arnold next to her, reassuring her every second that they won't take her away from him. He had his arm wrapped around her. Grandpa watched them from the rear view mirror and chuckled to himself. He could see that Arnold loved the girl, as plainly as she loves him.

When they arrived at the hospital, Helga became extremely nervous and terrified. She wouldn't let go of Arnold's hand. When the nurses saw her, they immediately took her into the examination room. They made her take off her clothes and they began to take tons of pictures. She turned around slowly, as they were getting every bruise, cut and welt that lay upon her small body.

They gave her a gown to put on, she did and she followed them to the x-ray room to get her body scanned for internal injuries and broken bones. Arnold paced around the waiting room waiting to hear news about Helga. He grew more anxious by the second. He wished he had gone into the room with her, to make sure that she was okay. He took off his blue hat and ran it through like it was soaked with water, but nothing came out.

Half an hour passed, then an hour. 'What were they doing to her' he thought nervously. He thought about walking over to the nurses station and asking about her, but knew they wouldn't tell him anything because he wasn't family. Instead he sat down next to his grandfather who put his arm around him.

"She's going to be alright, Shortman." He said reassuringly.

"I know, grandpa. " Arnold said placing his head against the wall.

Helga sat back down on the examination table as a doctor poked and prodded at her face, looking over the surface of her skin, asking her over and over to tell him the story of what happened. She couldn't, she shook her head and pointed to her throat and croaked out that it hurt to talk. The doctor told her to open her mouth; He listened to her breathing, and noted the bruises on her neck.

"Okay then miss, I'm going to ask you some questions then, now be honest with me and you don't have to talk, just shake your head for no and nod for yes." The doctor instructed. Helga nodded in response.

"Now, did someone in your family do this to you?" Helga nodded. The doctor wrote something down and looked at her again.

"Okay, has this been going on for a while now?" Again, Helga nodded. The doctor smiled slightly at her compliance.

"Now have you ever been molested, or sexually abused in any way?" Helga shook her head. Big bob would never do such a thing, even if he did have the balls to beat the snot out of her, there was no way Miriam, or herself would let big Bob try.

"Okay, Miss Pataki, that's all the information I need, I'll send in your little friend in now." The doctor got up and left. When he did, two nurses came over and stuck a needle into her arm. She wanted to yell at them but the oldest of the nurses looked at her calmly.

"It's okay, child. It's just something to hydrate you. Now lay down and rest, your boyfriend would be here in a second." She said. Helga did as she was told, feel suddenly sleepy. Her heart leapt when the nurse called Arnold her boyfriend.

Arnold walked in a few minutes later with his grandfather walking not far behind with the doctor. He beckoned Arnold ahead and stayed behind to talk to him.

Arnold walked over and held Helga's hand. She smiled slightly. They were quiet enough to hear the conversation going on between his grandfather and the doctor.

"Helga's vitals are good for someone who is malnourished and dehydrated and also had the crap beat out of her. We have called the police and they should be here soon to ask her a few questions. We have enough evidence to put her father into custody. Lucky for her, nothing is broken, and it's going to take a few weeks for her bruises to heal. Child Services should be here as well soon, to take her away to a safe home." The doctor said quietly.

Grandpa shook his head, "She can stay with us, she'll be safe there."

"Are you sure?" The doctor asked looking over at Arnold and Helga. Grandpa nodded.

"My grandson promised her, he would protect her, and she'll be well taken care of at my house."

"Okay, then. As soon as the police finish up here, you can take her home. If her eye gets any worse or she still can't talk in a few days, bring her back here for more tests."

"Will do Doc." Grandpa said as the doctor walked away. He headed over towards Arnold and Helga.

"So Shortman, I've arranged for your little friend to stay with us, they're going to keep her here for a little while, so what say you and I go and get some of her things for her."

Arnold looked at Helga and squeezed her hand. "Okay grandpa." He smiled at her and let go of her hand, "I'll be right back okay?"

Helga nodded and rested her head down on the pillow. Arnold walked out of the hospital, Grandpa just a few feet ahead of him.

"So how are we going to get some of Helga's stuff Grandpa?" He asked as they reached the Packard and climbed in.

"I've got Pookie on it, Shortman, so don't worry. What I need is for you to set up the empty room next to yours for Helga to stay in. We'll want to make her feel as at home as possible. He smiled at his grandson, who beamed back.

Meanwhile at the Pataki residence, Gertie G.I. Private Eye had managed to stealthily sneak into Helga's upstairs window and was now rummaging through her things; she grabbed a suitcase and started filling it with clothes and feminine accessories. She opened the closet and stood back. Cocking an eyebrow she peered in further and saw Helga's little shrine to Arnold. She laughed crookedly, and grabbed some more clothes. She saw what she concluded was Helga's school bag and threw it on. Grabbing the suitcase, Gertie climbed out the 2nd story window laughing maniacally as she did so. Miriam woke up from her drunken induced coma and looked around, wiping her mouth and fixing her glasses; she fixed herself another smoothie and passed out again. Not even aware that half of her youngest daughter's stuff was missing.

When Gertie got back to the boarding house, she met Arnold on the stoop, grabbing the backpack from her shoulders, she handed Arnold the things.

"Kimba, this stuff is very important to Lady Eleanor, Fix her room the way she remembers it."

"You got it grandma." Arnold said, taking the suitcase and backpack.

He walked over to the spare queen size bed that rested in the corner of the room and placed the suitcase on top. Opening it up, he saw most of her clothes and her blanket off her old bed. He removed the blanket and made the bed up neatly. Grabbing some of her clothes, he walked over to the closet and hung them up. When he was finished the clothes, he walked over to the suitcase again and blushed. Nestled in the bottom of the suitcase lay a box of tampons, He picked them up and placed them in the drawer of her bedside table.

When he was finished with the room, he looked around it. It needed a paint job. He made a mental note to work on it as soon as Helga is better. He left the room and climbed back into the Packard.

"Lets go get Helga, Grandpa."

"You got it shortman…" Grandpa said as he raced off towards the hospital.


	3. her eyes encicled in black again

_**~(A/N:) Sorry about the wait folks, I've been sick and busy getting shit done with college. I'm not sure how the whole doctors visits are supposed to go with abuse victims as well as police arresting the perpetrator. So I did my best guess... please read and review. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but I'm not making promises. :) **__**There is a Boy Meets World reference in this chapter. I figured the Hillwood kids would watch it. **_

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Helga was tired of talking to these jokers. Although she didn't really talk, They asked her mostly yes and no questions like the doctor did, Bob was getting arrested, she was going to ruin his life, the way he ruined hers. Part of her felt happy, but another part of her wanted to cry. It was her fault he hit her. If she wasn't such a bitch than he wouldn't have had to punish her.

After a moment or two in her thoughts, the police left and the nurses came back and removed the IV.

"There you go deary, you can get dressed, your little boyfriend is here to get you." The nurse said placing a bandage on the area where the IV had been. Helga took her time getting dressed, carefully watching out for the welts on her legs and back. She was tying her shoes (which were Arnold shoes at one point, but he lent them to her because she didn't have hers), when Arnold walked in smiling. She beamed back and embraced him.

"I think you'll like your room," Arnold said to her when he helped her out of the Packard and to the boarding house. "Grandma brought some of your house." Helga tried to laugh, but ended up as a snort, picturing the crazy old lady getting her stuff in some insane way.

"Are you hungry at all?" Arnold asked carrying her up the stairs. Helga shook her head. She was used to not being hungry for long periods of time, since Miriam always forgot to get groceries and Big bob always went out to eat after work. "Are you sure?" Again, Helga shook her head. She was tired. She made a snoring sound. Arnold got it and carried her to her room. He set her down at the door and opened it. Helga smiled weakly and wondered over to the bed. It was warm. She looked at Arnold confused.

"Grandma, must've threw your blanket in the dryer while we went to get you. I guess she wanted it to be warm for you." He watched Helga get into the bed and curl up in a position that didn't cause her pain. He started to walk out, when Helga grabbed his hand.

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" He asked, Helga nodded. He sat down on her bed and held her hand. She passed out almost instantly. He got up after about ten minutes and closed the door. He walked downstairs and saw his grandfather sitting at the table along with Gerald.

"Hey Arnold, where were you today? We had a big game against the 9th graders, you missed it man?"

"Sorry Gerald, I was… preoccupied with some…." Arnold started but never finished, because at that exact second a blood curdling scream pierced through the boarding house. Arnold ran upstairs towards Helga's room. Gerald was just a few feet behind him. Arnold opened the door, ran to Helga and embraced her. Her screaming stopped and she started sobbing. Gerald stood in the doorframe and looked in shocked at Helga.

"What happened to her?" He asked walking up to her. Arnold looked at him and sadly said, "Big Bob"

Gerald never really liked Helga, but after that second of seeing her the way she was and knowing that her own father did that to her, made him want to go over to where he lived and punch him. Granted he was only thirteen and wasn't as strong as he wanted to be.

When Helga stopped crying and was asleep again, Arnold sat next to her bed in case she awoke again. Gerald grabbed some cards and they played poker, while Arnold told him the story about the night before.

"So your grandfather found her on the stoop, covered in blood?" Gerald asked shocked. Arnold nodded.

"You should've seen it, I can't believe a father would do that to his own daughter. She was shaking and she still can't talk that well. But whatever you do, Don't tell anyone at school what happened to her. I'll tell Mr. Simmons tomorrow, and have him give me her homework assignments. The only one you can tell is Phoebe, she's probably worried enough."

"You got it, man. But what are they doing about Big Bob?"

"I assume they have already arrested him,"

"Good, that guy is not a good man, not a good man at all. Anyway man, I have to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Later man."

"Bye Gerald." Arnold watched as his best friend got up and walked out of the room. Arnold adverted his gaze towards Helga who looked troubled as she slept. He got up and bent over to kiss her uninjured cheek. Immediately after he did so, her expression calmed. He smiled slightly and walked out of the room.

A big burly man with bruised knuckles sat in back of his beeper emporium, enjoying a two foot triple meat sub and two liter bottle of pepsi. A knock came upon his off ice door.

"Come in," he said in a booming voice. In walked two cops, another two cops stood outside the door.

"Good evening officers, what can I help you with?"

"Mr. Pataki, you are under arrest for child abuse and neglect." The biggest of the four officers stated.

Mr. Pataki's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"You are under arrest for abusing your daughter."

"I only have one daughter and she's in Alaska teaching."

"Mr. Pataki, we know you have a younger daughter named Helga. Now you will either come with us quietly or we're going to have to go to drastic measures."

"Since when is punishing your child a crime."

"Since this." The cop showed him the picture of Helga's face.

"That? She fell down the stairs. She is such a clumsy girl."

"Mr. Pataki, we would like to take you down to the station for questioning, if you don't mind."

"Hey, I'll talk here, and only here, other than that, I want my lawyer." Big Bob stood a good foot over the biggest cop. Who took out a taser and shocked Mr. Pataki until he was on the ground. The four men grabbed each of his limbs and carried him out to the car. When they got him into the car, they placed cuffs on him and drove off to the police station for questioning.

Helga awoke off and on during the night. Arnold decided it was best to grab a sleeping back from his closet and sleep on the floor next to Helga. She slept restlessly, tossing and turning despite the pain. She found her stomach the most comfortable and flopped her arm over the side of the bed. Arnold held her hand the rest of the night and she slept peacefully.

The next morning, Helga awoke to seeing Arnold by her bed asleep. She beamed internally, but shrugged it off. Letting go of his hand, she sat up, still watching him. He looked like he was exhausted. She looked at the time, 7:20 am. She nudged him with her foot.

"Football head" She croaked, her throat feeling a little better. When he didn't move, she nudged him harder. "Hey Arnold" She croaked louder. Arnold opened his eyes slowly and was startled by Helga.

"Whoa… oh my gosh… "He sat up accidently grabbing Helga's bony knee. She blushed, as well as he did. "Sorry… what time is it?" He removed his hand from her knee and looked at the clock. He got up quickly and ran out of the room. Helga laughed and got up. She walked down the stairs carefully and into the kitchen. She found some cereal bars and a huge box of cocoa puffs. When she heard Arnold running down the stairs, she handed him a cereal bar and walked back into the kitchen to tend to her big bowl of cereal. Grandma was sitting at the table with her husband and smirked at Helga's cereal.

"Hungry are we? Eleanor…" She asked. Helga nodded while stuffing a huge spoonful into her mouth.

"Well as long as you stay here, what's ours is yours." Grandpa added. Helga swallowed completely regretting her choice in cereal the moment it passed down her throat.

"thanks…" She choked out.

Arnold managed to make it before the bus took off. He found Gerald sitting with Phoebe, who looked extremely worried. He sat down behind them and turned around. Phoebe beat him to the greetings.

"How is Helga this morning? Is she alright? Can I come over to see her tonight?" The usually quiet Asian girl blurted out before even saying hello. Arnold looked at Gerald, who shrugged.

"Helga is doing slightly better, do you think she would be alright after what big Bob did to her, and yes, I think she would like that. " Arnold answered in a whisper, hoping none of the other kids would hear him. Rhonda was as usual obsessed with herself and talking about said self. Curly was trying to get her attention and Harold was eating probably his third breakfast that morning. Sid and Stinky were trying to get Lila's attention while she was chit chatting with Lorenzo. He was relieved that no one even bothered to listen in on them.

They were the last ones off the bus, Phoebe went to go to the library for some last minute studying for the pre-algebra test today, and Gerald followed her to "help". Arnold knew that usually meant sneaking a kiss for every right answer. Gerald would do anything to kiss his girlfriend. Arnold smiled at them as they walked away and went off to find Mr. Simmons who was their teacher again, even in the 8th grade. Arnold thought it was kind of funny that he was pulling a Mr. Feeny.

He found him in the classroom looking over the day's itinerary. Mr. Simmons looked up and smiled at the boy.

"Oh hey Arnold, What brings you to the classroom so early?" He set down the itinerary and saw the seriousness in Arnold's green eyes.

"I came to talk to you about Helga…" Arnold started, Mr. Simmons nodded.

"I don't know what's up with that girl lately, she used to be so bright, and now she's skipping school for days at a time, at this rate, I don't think she'll complete the 8th grade and will have to repeat it next year." He said to Arnold. Arnold sighed, unsure of how to put the next thing he was going to say. He decided it was best to just tell the teacher flat out what was going on with Helga.

"Mr. Simmons… Helga was being abused by her dad. I don't know why but yesterday morning, My grandfather found her on our front stoop covered in blood and cuts and bruises. We took her to the hospital and now her father is in holding and she's staying at my house until she's better." He blurted out. Mr. Simmons' eyes flickered several different emotions at once.

"Oh my gosh, so that's what's been going on these past months. Oh my… I should've know, all the signs were there. That poor 'special' girl."

"So, I was wondering if I could get all she's missed for homework, and help catch her up so she doesn't have to repeat the 8th grade. It'll be at least another week until she can return to school, so it'll give her something to do instead of watch TV." Arnold smile internally at the thought of Helga watching wrestle mania with some of the borders.

"Oh okay… sure." Mr. Simmons looked over past itinerary and wrote down a list of assignments from the last week as well as today. He handed the papers to Arnold and smiled.

"Tell Helga, She's in my prayers… and I can't wait until she comes back to school"

"Will do Mr. Simmons."


	4. Your just so pretty, in your pain

Helga entered her room and wondered to the closet. She wanted to take another relaxing shower, like the one she had yesterday. She grabbed a long sleeve pink and black striped sweater that once was almost too small for her, but now was too big, and a pair of baggy jeans. She walked to the dresser and grabbed a pair of panties and a new bra, which she knew would be a huge pain in the ass to put on. She put the bra back and opted for a tank top with a built in bra. That wouldn't hurt so much. She walked out of her room and headed for the bathroom. It wasn't occupied by the boarders like it was earlier that day. Kokoschka had lost one of his wife's earrings down the drain and he, and Ernie were trying to find it. What Kokoschka was doing with his wife's earrings Helga did not want to know.

She started the shower and slowly got out of Arnold's sweater and jeans. She smiled and hugged the sweater letting out a slight sigh of content. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. Her black eye looked slightly better than it did yesterday, she could see a tad more than she did.

"Man… Bob really did a crack up job…" Helga thought sarcastically. She twisted and saw her back, which endured the most of the damage. The twisting hurt, but Helga dealt with it. She was tough, despite her exterior at this point in time and for the past six months.

When the water was warm, Helga climbed in, shivered and relaxed. At once she forgot about the pain and remembered what comfort was before all this shit started.

It started… Helga's eyes unfocused and she went back to when it started. Gradually Miriam's drinking got worse. It started with just a few smoothies, and then turned into a few giant bottles of Vodka a day. She just laid on the couch and slept. It was Helga's duty to clean up the house. Bob was gone until late. Helga cleaned from the time she got home from school until the time she went to sleep. She tried to get her homework done before she fell asleep, but didn't. When she didn't get done cleaning by the time her father got home, she got screamed at and if she talked back she got smacked across the face. She tried to fight back but that resulted in two black eyes and a sprained wrist.

She snapped out of it when someone knocked on the door. It was Susie. Helga hurried as much as she could and got out. She got dressed slowly, and finally left the bathroom. Susie, who at first looked annoyed when the door opened, shifted to an apologetic gaze.

"Sorry dear, if I knew it was you, I would've gone downstairs. How are you today?" She asked.

"Fine…" Helga muttered and gave her a smile before heading back towards her room. Susie looked at the girl concerned and entered the bathroom.

Helga sat on the bed carefully. She saw her backpack and dumped it on her bed. Her pink poetry book rested on the top of the little pile, as well as her locket. She smiled, picked it up and cradled it as if it were her child. She put on the locket and let the metal cool her now warm skin. She looked at the scattered pile of papers and books. Picking them up one by one, she placed them in the corner of her room near the dresser, not really needing them at this point in time. She crumpled up the papers (most of them containing A's) and tossed them into the little trash bin near a little desk Arnold set up. Finally she threw her backpack into the closet and shut the door. She looked at the poetry book. She hadn't written a poem in over six months, she felt an odd since of renewed inspiration and looked around for a pen. She opened all the desk drawers and found nothing, so she shifted her focus on her bedside table. Opening the top drawer, her face instantly went red. The box of tampons she never got to use. Most of the girls her age had already gotten their periods. Helga got one, and that was over 7 months ago. She never got it after that. That first time she was stuck with some pads Olga bought her, they bunched up and made Helga miserable. So before Olga left again for Alaska, she bought Helga tampons and showed her how to use them.

A knock came upon her door and she quickly shoved the box of tampons back in the top drawer and opened the door. Suddenly a mess of straight black hair came flying at her and embraced her in a gentle hug.

"Helga… I'm so happy your alright, well… you're not alright, but your alive. I've been so worried, I've missed you." Phoebe began to cry. Helga comforted her best friend and sat her down on her bed. Arnold and Gerald walked in soon after. Helga gave Gerald scowl, and was greeted with a hug from hair boy himself.

"I'm glad you're okay too Helga." He said. Helga sat there stunned.

"Thanks…" Helga said softly. She could talk slightly, but not enough for a conversation, yet. She noticed Phoebe looking her up and down.

"What is it Pheebs?"

"You're so thin… I bought you that sweater for your birthday and it fit you perfectly then, now it's too big." Phoebe looked as though she was going to cry as she kept looking at her friend.

"Yeah, that is what weeks without a proper meal will do to you." Arnold said bitterly, standing next to Gerald, who nodded.

"I hope your dad is put away for good." Phoebe said angrily, she started to shake. Helga embraced her Japanese friend.

"Me too… " Helga said softly.

An hour passed of just sitting and letting Phoebe fill her in on school and their friends. Finally it was time for both Gerald and Phoebe to leave. There was a big history test tomorrow that needed studying for. Once they were gone, Helga just sat there looking the door sleepily. Arnold sat next to her on her bed.

"I got some of the homework you missed. Mr. Simmons said that I can help you catch up so you don't fail 8th grade." Helga looked at him and smiled slightly, "What do you want to work on first?" Arnold asked grabbing his backpack and opening it. He pulled out a folder with the assignments and gave it to Helga. She sat there staring at the papers. These were easy. She waved Arnold away.

"I can do this myself." She said giving Arnold an apologetic gaze, "If I need help, I'll ask you." Arnold nodded and got up.

"In that case, I'll go see what we're having for dinner. Do you want me to bring it up here to eat or do you want to come down to eat?" He smiled slightly, and crossed his arms waiting for an answer.

"Up here, please." Helga answered. Arnold nodded and left the room.

Grandma made chicken stew again, making sure it was thick and warm to soothe Helga's throat while giving her something to put some meat on her bones.

"That girl is possibly 20 pounds underweight, that's not healthy for a growing girl her age." Grandma said handing Arnold the tray with all the food. The tray held several dinner rolls, two cups of warm milk, a big bowl of fruit as well as the 2 giant bowls of stew. Arnold's grandma made sure they were well fed.

He watched as Helga munched on her third dinner roll. By herself, she ate most of the food on the tray. She ate nearly all the fruit, except the strawberries that Grandma put separate at Arnold's request. She helped herself to the rest of Arnolds stew.

"Hungry… are we?" He smirked as Helga gave him a scowl. Her black eye was looking significantly better and the bruises on her throat were fading slightly. His eyes lingered on the cut on her lip. It would be healed by the time she went back to school.

"What are you staring at?" she asked giving him an even deeper glare. He shook his head and resumed eating the strawberries in his hand.

"Nothing…" He lied, noticing that the neck of the sweater fell off her right shoulder, revealing a scabbed over belt impression. It would leave a scar, and that angered him.

"Are you okay?" Helga asked bringing him out of his head again. He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you. I should've known what was going on sooner, I mean all the signs were there." He said giving Helga a gentle hug.

"Do not apologize Arnold, you weren't the one hurting me. It's okay, He's gone, he can't hurt me anymore." She hugged him softly. Arnold pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"Do you want to watch a movie with me? Grandpa went to the video store and got the latest Evil Twin movie." Helga thought about it for a second and nodded. Arnold helped her up , then grabbed the empty dinner tray and brought it downstairs.

Helga did not manage to stay awake for the whole movie. Arnold listened to her soft snoring on his shoulder while the credits rolled. He looked at the clock. It was not even seven, but he decided that it was best to let her sleep. He slowly laid her down on the couch and then picked her up. He figured that she would be more comfortable in her bed, rather than the couch. When she was in bed, he wrapped the comforter around her thin body and turned on the lamp that was across the room. He knew Helga was going to be restless again tonight, and thought better of leaving.

He tidied up the sleeping bag and his pillow and laid down to read for awhile.


	5. so much like falling

**UPDATE: Sorry, it's taking so long with updating this. I've been sick for the past three months. The doctors can't find anything wrong. Plus I've started working more and started a new session at college. I'll try updating this again soon. For now...VOLIA! this chapter is a little longer than the rest, I think. I figured I owed you guys that much. ENJOY and review. I l love hearing your feedback. 3**

As if she was right on cue, Helga screamed herself awake. Arnold was right there, sitting on her bed, stroking her face. She looked at his face and burst into tears for the second time in two nights. Arnold embraced her again and whispered how safe she was, and how everything is okay.

"I won't let him hurt you anymore, I promise" He gently ran his hand over her back. She had begun to laugh through her tears.

"You said that already," She sobbed, "I know I'm safe." She began to calm down after that. Arnold had let go of her and sat back down on the floor.

"Arnold?" She said softly, he barely heard it. He looked up in the faint light.

"Yeah, Helga?"

"I'm sorry I was so mean to you all those years, and bullied you." She croaked in a tired voice, "I guess I never realized what it was like to be at the blunt end of the abuse. I never meant to hurt you, I just didn't know how to express what I felt towards you."

Her throat must've felt a lot better, for her to be talking for this long. Arnold thought to himself.

"Its okay, Helga. I always knew you weren't that bad of a person. It was where you came from, you had and still have so many walls put up. I just hope that you could let someone in sometimes. Tell them how you feel." He said looking up in the dim light at the broken blond.

"I did let you in, you just shut me out. Remember at the top of the FTI building. I did let you know how I felt and you said that it was too much to take in at that time." Her voice broke. She sounded like she was about to cry again.

Arnold sat there, remembering .

_**'What else's are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?!'**_

_**'You love me?'**_

He shook his head at the thought.

"I'm so sorry about that… we were young, it was too much at the time for me to handle. With Scheck trying to destroy the city, and stuff. "

"It's okay… and we're still young, Arnold-o. I would like to make an appointment with Dr. Bliss tomorrow, though. She's probably worried about why I missed her appointment last Thursday. There is a lot I have to update her on."

"Would you like me to do that for you?"

"No, but what I would like you to help me with is the tests. Seriously… how in hell did I get so far behind?"

"you got it. We can do that tomorrow. I can take the day off, and get you all caught up."

"Thank you Arnold, for everything…."

She laid back down curling into a ball under the covers. Arnold laid back down himself; he passed out quickly and dreamed about the night on top of the FTI building. This was different though, He had just walked through the door and saw Helga standing there, on the edge of the balcony. She was crying and looking down. He tried to call her name, but he couldn't find his voice. She changed suddenly before him into the broken girl that was asleep above him. He saw every belt mark on her back. He reached out to grab her, but before he could get a hold of her, she jumped off the edge of the building.

"NOOOO!" he yelled, bolting straight up. In the dim lighting of the room, he heard the soft snoring of Helga. He was sure that she was fully asleep. He, himself was awake. He stood up, and straightened up the sleeping bag. He looked over at Helga, remembering the conversation earlier. Helga had managed to kick the covers off her thin body. Arnold tucked them around her, and smiled.

"What else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?" he whispered before going to take a relaxing shower.

Meanwhile, at Hillwood City Police Department, Big Bob Pataki sat there in one of the holding cells. The other's in the cell with him, cowered in the corner, terrified of the man's presence.

He had been in questioning all evening, as well as in this cell all night. _'They couldn't prove anything. They didn't have any evidence against him. Helga wouldn't rat on him, She knew what would happen to her if she did. He should've just killed her when he got the chance, then left the town as quickly as possible. He never wanted her, Miriam was supposed to have a boy. Not another girl. the girl couldn't take care of the Beeper Empire, she could barely take care of the house. What a lazy, nothing of a girl. They should've aborted Helga.'_ He thought to himself.

The men in the cell heard footsteps, and finally saw a guy even bigger than Bob Pataki standing at the door of the holding cell.

"All right, you ungrateful bastards. I want two solid lines, no funny business. If any of you try anything, I will not hesitate to shoot any of you. Do I make myself clear?" The giant man said in an extremely rough voice. Everyone stood up quietly and got into the two lines. Big Bob Pataki stood last and made his way back to the end of the line. This man was bluffing.

They escorted the men outside in the early spring morning. It was cool, but not too cold. They all made a single filed line onto a ratty old bus that will transport them to the jail. Bob just stood at the end of the line. He didn't feel like getting on that bus with all of these criminals. He wasn't a criminal; he was just merely punishing a mistake. He shouldn't be treated this way for punishing a mistake. He began to back away slowly. The giant man who was watching him with a suspicious eye, stood behind him. Bob bumped into him and looked up at him with a defiant and challenging gaze.

"Where do you think you're going, little man?" The giant officer asked.

"I don't belong here, I did nothing wrong. I have a beeper empire to run, and can't waste my time with this shit." Bob told the giant officer, who's name was Bruce, or as it said on his badge.

"I know all about you, Mr. Pataki. You were the one who beat his daughter, she could've died. And here you stand only worried about your business. As far as I'm concerned, you are right where you should be, now you either get on that bus, or I will make you get on that bus." Bruce said in a low gnarly voice.

Bob kept the defiant gaze on him. He crossed his arms and challenged Bruce. Who didn't hesitate to grab the taser from his pocket, set the voltage to the highest setting possible and stabbed it into Bob's neck hard. Bob went down to the ground, shaking and in immense pain.

"This is what it felt like to be your daughter, I presume." Was all Bruce said before Bob went into unconsciousness…

Arnold spent most of the morning with Helga, catching her up on everything she missed in school. Later on, She called up Dr. Bliss and made an emergency appointment. Bliss seemed extremely happy to hear from Helga. She was concerned for the girl's wellbeing, knowing her past and what possibly led up to the abuse. She knew that she had stopped seeing Helga for a while, and worried about the girl's safety. Bliss had also noticed that Helga was getting dramatically thinner in a unhealthy amount of time, and also the fact that she seemed to wear long sleeves and be covered in tons of foundation. She wanted to know what the girl was hiding, and who was she protecting when she lied, since it was obviously not herself. Bliss began to love Helga like a daughter, and knew that her own parents never even wanted her.

Helga seemed excited for her session with Bliss later that afternoon. She took a quick shower and re-wore the tank top with the bra built in that she wore yesterday. She also threw on the same pair of jeans. Instead of the sweater she wore yesterday, she grabbed a pink hoodie out of the closet and threw that on with some difficulty. She grabbed her pink converse and put them on. She met Arnold at the bottom of the stairs and they were off to see Bliss.

Arnold offered to walk Helga there. On the way down the stoop Helga saw some dark stains at the bottom of the step. She knew where those dark stains came from and hoped it would rain soon. She didn't want anyone else to see it there. Storm clouds gathered, promising to grant her wish. Arnold brought an umbrella just in case. Helga still had some difficulty walking so Arnold held onto her arm, gentle, but very protective. She almost swooned. She felt completely safe, but then remembered that her house what on the way to Dr. Bliss's office. She stopped and gave Arnold a worried glance. Arnold sensed what was bothering her and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, we'll take the long way to see her. We have plenty of time." He led Helga towards the park.

They arrived at Dr. Bliss's office with a few minutes to spare. Helga and Arnold sat down in the giant seats. Helga, who was particularly chatty on the walk there, was suddenly quiet. Arnold kept his grip on her hand.

"It's okay, you know. You just tell her everything that's happened in the past few months." Arnold whispered to her. She suddenly looked at him, defensive and agitated.

"I know how this works, footballhead. I've been here more times than you have." She spat out. She tried to get out of his grip, she wanted to go back into her own head. Arnold wouldn't let go though. He knew better than to let Helga back into her head, he knew what she was like when she was in her head. He wanted to keep her out of it for as long as he could.

The receptionist called Helga into the office, it was only then that Arnold let go of her hand. Helga scowled and crossed her arms defensively, putting up all those walls that will be torn down in a matter of seconds. As soon as she stepped behind that door and saw Bliss's face, Helga began to cry. Bliss got up and gave Helga a gentle hug.

"I'm so sorry, it's entirely my fault. I knew what he was capable of, but I pushed his buttons, if I wasn't such a bitch, this wouldn't have happened, if I wasn't such a bad kid." Helga sobbed out. Bliss just kept holding the girl.

"I see where you think that this is all your fault, but you have to know that it isn't. You didn't do anything to deserve this. You are not a bad kid. You are very bright, and talented." She comforted the girl.

"I keep having nightmares that he's going to come back and get me, and kill me. I'm terrified, I don't want to leave Arnold's house. I just want to stay where I know it's safe."

"you know you can't stay there forever, Child services will take you somewhere else soon. You know that." Bliss stated regrettably.

Helga began to cry harder. She didn't want to leave Arnold. She knew that he wouldn't let them take her away without a fight.

"But… they take care of me…. They make sure I have everything I need. I don't want to live with complete strangers. I don't want to pretend to feel safe somewhere else. Can you please…? PLEASE! Make it so I can stay with Arnold?" Helga pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do. I'm not making any promises. Now Since we haven't seen each other in a few months, please… update me on everything." Bliss was acting professional, she very much would like to cry and keep holding Helga. She very much would like to tell the child that she could stay with her, and see Arnold as much as she would like. It hurt Bliss to see the young child in so much pain.

Helga stared at her through swollen red eyes, making the black eye seem much worse than it was. She stood up and took off the hoodie and turned around, Showing the belt wounds and bruises on her arms and some of her back.

"This is what has been going on in the past few months. Need I say more?" Helga said coldly. Bliss gasped. Horrified at the young girls body. Her bones poked out from under her skin. She was severely thin. The bruises were beginning to fade on her arms, and her back was beginning to scar.

"Not a pretty picture huh?" Was all Helga said as she sat back down and looked directly into Bliss's horrified expression. Bliss shook her head. It was one of the worst cases of child abuse she has seen in all her years in this field.

She and Helga talked for the next few hours, Helga told her everything. How the abuse started and where was Miriam in all of this. Helga had told her that Miriam had left to go to her mothers for a few days when the abuse started. After that Miriam's drinking got out of hand, and how it was up to her to do all the housework as well as try to keep up with her schoolwork. Bliss nodded throughout the whole conversation. Helga mentioned that she was usually too tired to even eat, when Bob decided that she didn't need anything to eat anyway and stopped giving her lunch money. She talked about how sometimes she wouldn't go to school for days at a time, just to get caught up with the housework as well as homework and sleep. It never worked.

Bliss looked at Helga as though she might cry, this poor young girl struggled her whole life and never seemed to find relief.

"Arnold has been so good to me these past few days." Helga said softly. Bliss eyes lit up, Arnold was Helga's crush. The only light in her world. He was the first person to give Helga an ounce of attention and showed her what caring for someone really is like. Bliss knew that Helga confessed to him her most guarded secret, she also noticed that from Helga's visits awhile ago, that Arnold was beginning to reciprocate those feelings in return.

"I hear your staying with him now, what's that been like?" She asked smiling internally. She knew that it felt like a dream come true to Helga.

"Honestly, it's great, I haven't felt this safe in a long ass time. He takes care of me, and even sleeps on the floor by my bed, just in case I wake up during the night."

"And what does he do when you wake up?"

"He hugs me, and tells me everything is going to be alright. He says that he won't let Bob hurt me anymore."

"And do you believe him?"

"With everything I have left."


End file.
